The Dodgers lost, 9-4, to the Phillies on Wednesday, but manager Dave Roberts was still talking about the umpires after the game.
With Los Angeles leading, 4-3, in the top of the sixth inning, Philadelphia outfielder Brandon Marsh bunted with no outs and a runner on second base.
Third baseman Enrique Hernandez charged to field the ball and fired to shortstop Miguel Rojas, who was running from shortstop to cover third base, to attempt to get the lead runner.
Rojas swiftly tagged Alec Bohm, who was advancing from second to third base.
Despite the ball easily beating Bohm and the infielder clearly being tagged out before reaching the base, Bohm was called safe by third base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt due to obstruction by Rojas.
Roberts immediately came out to argue the play and was quickly ejected by the umpire.
He labeled the ruling “an egregious missed call,” per ESPN.
“He got it wrong,” Roberts said after the game. “That’s just a fact. Umpiring is hard. They do a great job. Tonight, that play affected the game.”
As Roberts said, that call completely changed the landscape of the game.
Instead of one out and a man on first, there were now runners at the corners and no one out.
Wendelstedt’s call was followed by a game-tying RBI groundout, a walk and an eventual three-run home run by Kyle Schwarber that broke the game open for the Phillies.
Rojas, who was also arguing with Wendelstedt after the play but did not get thrown out, said, “It’s unfortunate that an umpire can change the narrative of a game and a series.”
Crew chief Marvin Hudson supported Wendelstedt’s decision.
“He’s got to have the ball before he can get in front of the bag,” Hudson said, per ESPN. “That’s the new rule this year.”
Hudson added that Rojas “was in front of the big without the ball.”
It was the second straight loss for the Dodgers against the Phillies and Los Angeles is now 5-8 in its past 13 games.
The Dodgers’ once-nine-game NL West lead has dwindled to just three games over the Padres and Diamondbacks.